New York City College of Technology, CUNY
Department of Hospitality Management
Janet Lefler Dining Room
MEMORANDUM
To: Professor Abreu, Director of Service
From: Alvaro Sobrino Gonzalez, Student
Date: October 4, 2018
Re: The New York Times Restaurant Review
In his September 25th article, Mr. Wells dreams about how Starbucks would have turned out if its owner would have taken the wrong flight, and instead of arriving in Italy, would have ended up in Malaysia.
Mr. Wells realizes that the closest analogy to his dream is the Malaysian coffee and tea parlor Kopitiam. Originally, the place was located in Canal street and had just 4 seats and a counter. Now, Kopitiam is located on 151 East Broadway, one of the main streets of Chinatown. Its newer location is more spacious a has more seats available at communal and individual tables. The cafe’s menu offers traditional Malaysian dishes such as Nasi Lemak, Oyster Omelet and Fish Ball Soup as well as hot beverages such as Kopi-o, Teh Tarik and Milo. The service provided in the cafe is usually smooth and professional when it is quiet, but when the crowds arrive it can get turbulent.
Even though the establishment has a wide and original menu, Mr. Wells felt disappointed by the lack of consistency and the disorganized service. At times the location didn’t have all the coffee and tea varieties and other times didn’t have any coffee or tea at all, which as Mr. Wells wrote, is “an awkward state of affairs for a coffee and tea parlor.” The business received one star due to the chaotic service delivered during peak times, but in terms of the food it met Mr. Wells expectations.
“Providing Over 70 Years of Quality Service to the Hospitality Industry”